SHELTERFORCE The journal of affordable housing and community building SUMMER 2008

What Green Means for Communities

Majora Carter Greening the ghetto with Sustainable South Bronx PLUS Energizing green-collar Will Anaheim house job training & environmentally more than Disney friendly development and baseball? Organizing 2.0 Growing the urban Connecting Rust fresh food revolution Belt cities

$7.50 · #154 Editor’s Note

Moving at Warp Speed By Alice Chasan

!"#’$ %#"& '()* about physics or math. My levers of change; then there are times when events seem claim to Einsteinian expertise pretty much begins to accelerate, as people come together to make it happen. and ends with + e Photo. It hangs on my study Lately, the pace of positive change has picked up at Iwall, framed alongside the letter inviting my father the National Housing Institute, in sync with movements to visit Albert Einstein at his home in Princeton. I never on the grass-roots and national levels. tire of looking at it, because it tells a In a few short months, NHI has launched a re designed great American story. Shelterforce, a state-of-the-art interactive Web site + ere’s my dad, who arrived at (www.nhi.org and www.shelterforce.org), and a new LETTERS Ellis Island in ,-./ at six months of group blog, www.Roo! ines.org. In a matter of weeks, age with his mother (to join his fa- Roo0 ines’ bloggers have created a conversation that To the Editor: ther, who had come earlier, 0 eeing takes NHI far beyond bricks and mortar to the ques- the Czar’s army). Now a thoroughly tions that will determine how we revitalize communi- I just fi nished reading American gentleman, he’s impecca- ties in the 3,st century. I urge you to visit Roo0 ines and “Stemming the Red Tide,” the bly dressed in the latest haberdash- add your own momentum through your comments. article on the subprime crisis ery circa ,-1.. His expression and When I inaugurated Roo0 ines in early May, I said that by Peter Dreier and John At- stance signal he’s bursting with pride it felt like the country is moving out of /. years in the las in the Spring 2008 issue to be in the living room of the great political wilderness. of Shelterforce. I’m not sure man’s house on Mercer Street. In so many ways, the energy is coalescing both in the I totally endorse their punch Next to him is Einstein—another electoral arena and at the grass-roots level to address line—the answer is to elect European immigrant who’d 0 ed op- the chronic economic, social, and environmental prob- the Democrats—but that’s a pression—looking the polar oppo- lems that have left the majority of Americans dispirited discussion for another time. site of my dapper dad and the very and yearning for a new set of national priorities. I really just wanted to write model of a modern genius: rumpled Charged by that same arc, NHI has rea4 rmed its and say that it’s the best pants, baggy sweater, iconically tan- commitment to the examination of the American hous- comprehensive piece I’ve read gled mane. ing crisis and advocacy for social and economic equity on the whole deal, the history, + ey’d met to talk about practical that has spurred us for more than 55 years. And we’ve the mechanics, etc. for the strategies for acting against ethnic expanded our purview to include the environmental, lay reader, and something I’ll and religious hatreds and genocide—a educational, and public-health issues that challenge the defi nitely have my students vision born out of the lessons of the vitality of communities. read when I teach my housing Holocaust. + eir common goals con- One of the leaders of the reinvigorated progressive course this fall. Kudos! nected a world-renowned scientist movement is Van Jones, founder of Green for All. He’s Rob Rosenthal and a New Jersey lawyer who was a quoted in Ted Wysocki’s article (on page ,1 of this is- Professor of Sociology grass-roots activist for political re- sue’s cover package), saying “We are on the cusp of in- Wesleyan University form and racial equality. credible change.” Green for All’s program for joining the Middletown, Conn. So, what I know about relativ- drive for social and economic equity with the goal of en- ity owes nothing to scienti2 c knowl- vironmentally sustainable practices in community de- edge and everything to the lessons velopment and green-collar job training in low-income of human connection: Sometimes, communities is accelerating that transformation, as is the movement of things seems to slow to a molasses-like Majora Carter’s pathbreaking work through Sustainable pace, when people feel isolated and marginalized from the South Bronx (“+ e Green New Deal,” Shelterforce’s inter- view with Carter, starts on page 6). Carter and Jones—along with the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer, Barack Obama—exemplify the kind of Shelterforce, a publication of the National Housing high-impact leadership that can vault us forward toward Institute, is dedicated to providing resources and diverse, vibrant communities in a more just and equita- information to those working to create and preserve ble society. I have no doubt that Dad and Prof. Einstein affordable housing and thriving communities. would have been on board for this exciting ride. !

2 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Shelterforce Volume 30, Number 2

Editor / Associate Alice Chasan Publisher [email protected] CONTENTS #154 Summer 2008 Associate Editor Matthew Hersh [email protected] Contributing Editors John Atlas, Miriam Axel- Lute, Jan Breidenbach, Peter Dreier, Chester Hartman, David Holtzman, W. Dennis Keating, Patrick Morrissy, Bobbi Murray, Winton COVER STORY: WHAT GREEN MEANS FOR COMMUNITIES Pitcoff Design / Web Gridwork Design 8 The Green New Deal National Housing Institute Majora Carter, by way of Sustainable Interim Executive Robert O. Zdenek South Bronx, is helping to change the Director urban landscape. Communications & Lois K. Cantwell Marketing Dir. [email protected] INTERVIEW BY MATTHEW HERSH Senior Fellow Alan Mallach Offi ce Administrator Nádine Heron-Fortune Taking the LEED In Your Board President John Atlas 14 Community Board VP Diane Sterner Board Secretary Patrick Morrissy Through local and regional initiatives on job training and Board of Directors development, communities are tailoring the eco-revolution for their Roland V. Anglin, ED, IRCT backyards. BY TED WYSOCKI John Atlas Peter Dreier, Occidental College Martin Johnson, ED, Isles, Inc. Making Food Deserts Bloom Patrick Morrissy, ED, HANDS, Inc. 18 Creative solutions to a lack of fresh Steven Most, President, The TurnAround Team Carole Norris, SVP, ICF International produce and wholesome food are blossoming in Michael Leo Owens, Emory University low-income neighborhoods. BY KARI LYDERSEN Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, ED, NJ Citizen Action Peter Shapiro, SWAP Financial Gregory D. Squires, George Washington Univ. A Tale of Two Anaheims Diane Sterner, ED, Housing & Community 22 Development Network, NJ After years of getting what they want, Deborah Visser, NeighborWorks America corporate titans in Anaheim are beginning to Woody Widrow, ED, TX Asset Building Coalition feel the clout of grass-roots groups seeking

Shelterforce (ISSN 0885-9612) is published four times affordable housing. BY BOBBI MURRAY a year by the National Housing Institute. Editorial and Advertising: 111 Dunnell Road, Maplewood, NJ 07040. Home Again Subscription: P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834. 26 E-mail: [email protected], voice: (973) 763-0333, fax: (973) A Boston neighborhood accepts its transformation as 763-6331. Postmaster send change of address to: P.O. a beloved church, a long-treasured community asset, Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834. Periodicals postage paid in Orange, NJ 07050. is reborn as housing. BY DAVID HOLTZMAN

Subscription rates are: single copy $7.50; yearly libraries and other organizations $30; $18 for in- Salvaging Success From Failure dividuals. Foreign add $15. Copyright ©2008. All 30 rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be Lessons learned from missteps made in Chicago’s reprinted without the permission of the publisher. El Mercado project. BY BOB BREHM Shelterforce is listed in the Alternative Press Index 2 Editor’s Note and microfi lmed in UMI’s Alternative Press Collec- Decoding Housing Finance Agencies 4 Shelter Shorts tion. Visit Shelterforce Online at: www.nhi.org. 34 What housing advocacy organizations This publication is supported, in part, by grants from 6 Access need to know to gain leverage with Ford, F. B. Heron, Charles Stewart Mott, Rockefeller and 7 Industry News Surdna foundations, and the Bank of America, JPMor- powerful state housing fi nance gan Chase and Citigroup foundations, NeighborWorks agencies. BY CORIANNE P. SCALLY 40 Organize! America, PNC Bank and Public Service Electric & Gas. 42 Book Review ON THE COVER Photo from iStockphoto. 38 Subprime’s Footprint Stemming foreclosures demands immediate action, but a comprehensive solution requires a broader brush. BY JONATHAN SPADER

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 3 SHELTER SHORTS

HUD Sec’y Resigns, Questions Linger School’s Out (of Money) The number of home foreclosures nationwide is up 60 percent from one year ago, and it’s not just affecting the homeowner, but children of homeowners as well. Accord- ing to a report on “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” public schools are taking hits as districts funded by local property taxes experience higher levels of foreclosures. “It’s going to hurt the bottom line of state budgets in terms of the monies they give to schools,” Douglas H. Palmer, mayor of Trenton, N.J., and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, told NBC News. Local property taxes account for about 30 percent of school funding, according to a recent study commis- Although Housing and Urban not effectively address the sioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. According Development Secretary Al- subprime mortgage slide. to the report, California could lose up to $3 billion in phonso Jackson cited personal He was also accused in a property taxes as a result of the foreclosure crisis, and New York State could lose up to $700 million. Sports, reasons for resigning in April, lawsuit alleging his reprisal advanced placement classes, and much-needed facility his departure failed to dispel against Philadelphia housing repairs could be among the fi rst casualties. concerns about his conduct in offi cials for reportedly blocking offi ce that led to ongoing ethics a land deal with a Bush sup- investigations by the HUD in- porter, according to CNN. And spector general, a federal grand he has been under fi re for his Housing Perpetuates Racial jury, and the Justice Depart- department’s handling of the Segregation, Group Says ment’s public integrity section. Gulf housing shortage in Hurri- A Dallas-based civil-rights group is charging the larg- President Bush has nominat- cane Katrina’s wake as well as est affordable-housing rental program in Texas with ed and the Senate has con- his reticence to acknowledge perpetuating racial segregation and asking the courts fi rmed Steven Preston, head of the magnitude of the burgeon- to require an equal number of tax-credit projects in non- the Small Business Administra- ing mortgage crisis. minority areas as there are in minority areas. tion, to replace Jackson. Jackson’s resignation also di- The suit, fi led against the Texas Department of Hous- Jackson’s resignation came verted attention from attempts ing and Community Affairs in March by the Inclusive Communities Project Inc., claims that the department as congressional leaders called to fi nd a solution to a $2-billion has allowed too many housing tax credit-fi nanced proj- for his ouster amid allegations shortfall in HUD’s Section 8 ects to be built in urban areas with high levels of crime that he steered a federal con- rental-voucher program, which and poverty. tract toward a South Carolina could lead to many of the 1.3 According to ICP President Elizabeth K. Julian, areas acquaintance. No charges have million families housed by the like the mostly white Dallas suburbs have a high propor- tion of apartment complexes that do not accept Section been fi led, and Jackson—who program to lose their homes, 8 rental vouchers. “The issue of segregation in the consistently enjoyed Bush’s according to some housing tax-credit program is obviously not a news fl ash,” Julian support—has denied any wrong- advocates. This year, Congress told Shelterforce, “and this is just another example of doing. The congressional news- would have to budget $6.5 bil- the greater problem.” paper The Hill reported that lion over the administration’s Julian said that her organization has not sued any Senators Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) requested amount for housing landlords in the past three years for rejecting vouchers, but she would not rule our that option. For now, “this is and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and community development in about addressing the role of the state and the tax-credit sent a letter to Bush in March, order to avoid cuts in core pro- program as a barrier of being able to fi nd high-quality contending that Jackson could grams for low-income families. housing,” Julian said.

4 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Walkin’ Blues They say leaving home ain’t easy, but some homeowners in Florida fi nd they have no other options. More and more homeowners are fi nding ways to leave their mortgages, hoping to avoid the serious credit damage done by delinquency. These are not homeown- ers in arrears on their mortgage payments; they simply see a bleak road lined with rising interest rates ahead and want to take the nearest exit. While Florida has been central in this trend, it’s hap- pening in other states, including California and Nevada. No fi nancial adviser would ever recommend taking the “walk away” route, but it’s an attractive alternative Blocking the ‘Bayonne Box’ for some who want to hold their housing fate in their own hands, before the payments increase and the banks Newark, N.J., is one of a handful of historic character. Bayonne Boxes take over. Companies like the San Diego-based You Walk Garden State cities that is enjoying were replacing handsome industrial Away have opened offi ces across the country, and are something of a housing renaissance, buildings, according to Rodrigues, benefi tting from an uptick in business. but city government and some who advocates the practice of adap- Watch out for penalties, however. Mortgage lenders residents don’t like the look of the tive reuse, where old buildings are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to name a few, are unlikely housing boom. retrofi tted to accommodate modern to make available to banks funding for new mortgages— Much of the redevelopment has needs. The low-density nature of the at least for a few years—for former homeowners who ushered in a type of housing known Bayonne Box was another problem, have taken this route. as the “Bayonne Box,” named after particularly for an urban area near a the nearby city of Bayonne, where major transit hub, Rodrigues says. entire post-World War II neighbor- And what about Bayonne? It’s hoods were built in the three-story, a middle-income town known for No, Not That Kind of Green vinyl-clad fashion. The style is its well-kept late 19th- and early appealing to developers because of 20th-century housing stock, and While one of New York City’s newest housing develop- its pre-fab construction and adapt- for newer dwellings built since the ments will bring in the green in ratables, the project ability to the narrow lots, in this 1960s, where offi cials are quick to shows that it can be easy being environmentally green case conforming to the zoning in set the record straight. “The term is as well. Newark’s historic Ironbound district. unrepresentative of Bayonne, and In March, David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens, an exclu- But some Newark offi cials, we’re very proud of the fact that our sively green, $19.5-million, 85-unit affordable-housing including Mayor Corey Booker, took town has a lot of variety to it,” says complex opened in Manhattan’s Harlem. It’s part of umbrage at the Bayonne Boxes as a Joseph Ryan, the city’s public infor- Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan, fi rst announced in threat to the area’s historic charac- mation director. Bayonne, it should 2003, to build 165,000 units of affordable housing for ter. “We didn’t uniformly attack the be noted, is going through its own 500,000 residents over the next decade. The comple- Bayonne Box,” says Carlos Rodri- renaissance, where former indus- tion of Dinkins Gardens, which includes 24 units for gues, vice president and New Jersey trial sites are being redeveloped for youths aging out of foster care, could signal a trend director for the Regional Plan Asso- commercial and residential pur- toward more eco-minded housing solutions. ciation, the organization that worked poses. With so much going on, Ryan The block-and-plank building uses innovative energy with the city in crafting new zoning said the town takes loose terminol- and water-effi cient designs, mechanical systems, and more in line with the neighborhood’s ogy in stride: “We’ll be fi ne.” equipment; non-toxic and recycled material; a green roof; rain-water harvesting; permeable paving; and natural day lighting—all strategies to demonstrate that green affordable housing can be cost-effective in dense A House Divided? urban neighborhoods. Couples seeking divorce are fi nding are waiting to physically separate Co-developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and the that breaking up is, indeed, hard to until their house is sold. “You may Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement do—particularly during the recent be forced to live together for some (HCCI), the building—directly across the Harlem River slump in the housing market. Janell period of time, after the divorce, from Yankee Stadium—is named for the former New Weinstein, a family-law attorney until the house is sold,” she says. “It York City mayor and his wife. It is being touted as a and legal analyst discusses the legal may be impossible for you to imag- new model for affordable housing, according to Rose, ramifi cations of divorce at fi rst- ine living with your spouse after because it offers social services and job training. HCCI, a wivesworld.com, and she’s saying you’re divorced, but it’s a realistic nonprofi t interfaith consortium of more than 90 congre- that increasing numbers of couples expectation that you must consider.” gations, owns and operates the complex.

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 5 Access

Awards Events

New Jersey Future, a state- June 23-26 July 17-20 wide research and policy group Housing Credit Conference & Mar- Planning in Challenging Climates, advocating smart growth, held ketplace; National Council of State 2008; Planners Network Confer- its annual Smart Growth Awards Housing Agencies; Miami. ence. Winnipeg, Manitoba. event on June 5 in Newark, N.J. www.nhi.org/go/miami www.nhi.org/go/climates The awards recognize smart growth planning and development July 10 throughout the state. For Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care; a complete listing of awardees, go Project Homeless Connect. Trenton, to www.nhi.org/go/ N.J. To register, write to jrosado@ smartgrowthawards merceralliance.org

Publications & Resources

Green Rehabilitation of Multi- A new Housing Assistance by HCDNNJ executive direc- the Furman Center for Real family Rental Properties: A Council study, Connecting the tor Diane Sterner and National Estate and Urban Policy and Resource Guide is a guide for Dots: A Location Analysis of Housing Institute senior fellow the Center for Housing Policy at affordable housing developers USDA’s Section 515 Rental Alan Mallach, calls for a “funda- New York University, examines looking to make their exist- Housing and Other Federally mental change in the relation- inclusionary zoning—the mecha- ing properties greener. A joint Subsidized Rental Properties ship between the state and its nism that links affordable-hous- project of the Bay Area LISC in Rural Areas, says that coun- cities.” Online at www.nhi.org/ ing production to market-rate and California-based Build it ties farthest from urban cen- go/urbantransformation housing production. The report Green, the guide aims to help ters, those with shortages of argues that IZ is not “one-size- developers and their consul- affordable housing, and those Out of Reach 2007-2008, the fi ts-all” and should be tailored tants integrate green building with relatively large minority National Low Income Hous- to refl ect the local climate. and energy effi ciency when populations are most likely to ing Coalition’s annual report Online at www.nhi.org/go/ upgrading multifamily proper- have high proportions of U.S. outlining affordable housing inclusionaryzoning ties and is intended to be used Department of Agriculture needs, studies the growing gap during energy audits, building Section 515 apartments among between wages and the cost of Designed for Disease: The walkthroughs, or site assess- their federally assisted rent- rental housing and argues that Link Between Local Food ments of rehab projects. It can als. The Section 515 program the two problems share the Environments and Obesity be downloaded at www.nhi.org/ makes direct loans to develop- same root: a national housing and Diabetes, a collaborative go/greenguide ers of affordable multifamily policy that has failed to provide effort by the California Center rental housing in rural areas. and protect safe, decent, af- for Public Health Advocacy, Steered Wrong: Brokers, Bor- It can be downloaded at www. fordable housing for millions of PolicyLink, and the UCLA Cen- rowers, and Subprime Loans, nhi.org/go/ruralhomes Americans. U.S. Sen. Christo- ter for Health Policy Research, by Keith Ernst, Debbie Bocian, pher Dodd (D-Conn.) wrote the identifi es the connections and Wei Li of the Center for NJ and Its Cities: An Agenda study’s preface. Online at www. between retail food establish- Responsible Lending, released for Urban Transformation, nhi.org/go/outofreach ments, obesity and diabetes, in April 2008, looks at the rapid the second major report by the and community income. “De- growth of subprime lending. Housing Community Develop- The Effects of Inclusionary signed for Disease” reports that The report is based on 1.7 ment Network of New Jersey Zoning on Local Housing Mar- the highest rates of obesity and million mortgages originated on the state’s urban centers kets: Lessons from the San diabetes are in lower-income between 2004 and 2006. It can and their impact, says that city Francisco, Washington D.C., communities that have poor be found at www.nhi.org/go/ growth can help restore state and Suburban Boston Areas, food environments. Online at responsiblelending economic prosperity. The report, a study released in March by www.nhi.org/go/disease

6 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Industry News professor; Robert Silverman, associate professor; Kelly Patterson, assistant professor; Jacqueline Hall, ESNTP project administrative offi cer; Jeff Kujawa, assistant director; and Frida Ferrer, program coordinator. In May, NeighborWorks America unveiled a partnership with the Federal Reserve aimed at assisting local com- Organizations munities across the country in assessing area housing conditions. The agreement will help local governments and nonprofi t organizations evaluate strategies and JP Morgan Chase Bank NA is giving a team of students tailor responses to the rise in foreclosures and real- from Washington University in St. Louis and the Massachu- estate owned properties (REO). setts Institute of Technology seed money to embark on a $2.1-million renovation of the Franz Building, a turn-of-the- century storefront in New Orleans’ Orthea Castle Haley People corridor. The money is being awarded as the fi rst-ever community development competition in New Orleans. The Enterprise Community Partners has launched the Bart building will house and support the activities of the Good Harvey Enterprise Fellowship, a two-year program pro- Work Network, a nonprofi t incubator. The restoration of viding awardees with an opportunity to explore commu- the building fulfi lls the goal of the Unifi ed New Orleans nity development. The fellowship is named after Bart Plan to establish a mixed-use arts and cultural corridor, Harvey, the Enterprise chairman and executive who one of four Main Street Projects. Second place went to the retired in March after a 23-year tenure. The selected can- Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans’ Renais- didate will work on projects under Doris W. Koo, president sance Neighborhood Development Corp. for a project by and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, as well as the Milano New School for Management and Urban Policy board chairs and other senior management staff. outlining a mixed-income, mixed-use, LEED-certifi ed devel- opment in the Lower Garden District. Third place went to Actor, director, producer, and Enterprise Community Tulane University students for a plan to build senior hous- Partners board trustee Edward Norton ing in the Gentilly Woods-Pontchartain Park area. Fourth testifi ed in May before the U.S. House of place went to the Pontilly Disaster Collaborative. Representatives Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warm- The Assets for Independence (AFI) program has ing. Norton called on Congress to make awarded more than $4 million in grants to 16 organi- a national commitment to bring home zations helping low-income families build wealth and the benefi ts of green building practices achieve fi nancial independence through Individual Devel- to low-income families, as a part of opment Accounts (IDAs). Each dollar deposited into an comprehensive efforts to fi ght global IDA is matched between $1 and $8 by AFI. The grantees warming. His testimony was based on are the Indiana Housing and Community Development the results of the Enterprise Green Authority; the Iowa Credit Union Foundation; Penquis Edward Norton Communities initiative, the nation’s Community Action Program; the Residential Care largest effort to create green affordable Consortium; Citizens for Citizens, Inc.; Beyond Housing; homes, with more than $570 million Montana Credit Unions for Community Development; invested to support 250 developments with more than New Mexico Association of Community Action Agencies; 11,000 green affordable units complete or underway. Community and Shelter Assistance Corporation; Lake MicroBusiness; United Way of Lancaster County; North- James Upchurch, president and CEO of the Interfaith east South Dakota Community Action Program; Church Housing Alliance, has announced his retirement after Koinonia Federal Credit Union; Foundation Communities; 15 years of working to provide affordable housing for Community Action Program, Inc. of Taylor County; and needy families and senior citizens in and around Fred- the Central Vermont Community Action Council, Inc. erick County, Md. During Upchurch’s tenure, Interfaith Housing has produced more than 1,000 affordable The University at Buffalo East Side Neighborhood houses in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Transformation Partnership (ESNTP), a 2-year-old, university-assisted approach to the regeneration of Matthew O. Franklin has been named president of Buffalo’s Fruit Belt and Martin Luther King Jr. Park com- Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition, a nonprofi t afford- munities, has received the 2008 Outstanding Program able- housing developer in Northern California. Franklin Award from the international Community Development served as executive director of the San Francisco Society. Members of the winning team—all from the Mayor’s Offi ce of Housing since 2004. He previously Center for Urban Studies in the Department of Urban was director of California’s Department of Housing and and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture Community Development. He succeeds Fran Wagstaff, and Planning—are Henry L. Taylor, center director and who retires July 1. !

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 7 K_\The ROYE RUDDY Green>i\\e NewE\n Deal;\Xc

MajoraDXafiX:Xik\ijXneXkliXc Carter saw natural beautyY\XlkpXe[\Zfefd`Z and economic empowerment\dgfn\id\ek`e_\iJflk_ in her South Bronx9ifeoe\`^_Yfi_ff[n_\i\ neighborhood where othersfk_\ijfecpjXnX[ldg`e^ only saw a dumping ground.^ifle[%J_\ËjZ_Xe^`e^k_\ She’s changing the urbanliYXecXe[jZXg\`eXnXp landscape in a way that’sk_XkËjY\\eXe\p\$fg\e\i been an eye-opener tokfg\fgc\Xifle[k_\^cfY\% people around the globe. Interview@ek\im`\nYpDXkk_\n?\ij_ by Matthew Hersh

8/  SummerJldd\i)''/ 2008 www.nhi.orgnnn%e_`%fi^ RUDDY ROYE RUDDY Cover Story *7 $78' “9(9$:;#:<;=;$>” now ranks with “organic” on the buzzword index. In recent years, cities, small towns, local communities, and social organizations with 2 nite economic Tresources have begun to explore the bene2 ts of energy- and because we were 2 ghting against cost-saving policies that support the environment. As these initiatives a huge waste facility that former coalesce, the sustainable-development movement could have profound, Mayor Guiliani and [former New long-term e? ects. And if the world is a greener place in a generation or York Gov. George Pataki] wanted to two, we’ll have people like Majora Carter to thank for it. bring to our waterfront. Carter’s star continues to rise in her 2 eld since she founded Sustainable We discovered that there was an South Bronx, a non-pro2 t environmental justice solutions corporation. enormous amount of waste that was She founded the group in 3.., following a community-based e? ort to de- already handled in the community, feat a Giuliani proposal to install a municipal waste-handling facility in and then, later on, we were slated for her native Hunts Point neighborhood in the South Bronx. As then-project more power plants. We already had director for Community Restoration at the Point CDC, Carter wrote the B.,... truck trips coming through @,.31-million federal transportation planning grant for planning funds to the neighborhood and a huge sewage design the South Bronx Greenway, replete with ,, miles of bike and pe- treatment plant that processed an destrian paths, low-impact storm-water management, and recreational enormous amount of the city sewage space—all providing local economic development. sludge. It just seemed like it would be Once work was underway on the waterfront, Carter, having then adding insult to injury if the planned founded Sustainable South Bronx, identi2 ed a market niche for work waste facility was ever built. in what is now known as the green-collar industry, and created the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training program (BEST), a ,.-week So, Sustainable South Bronx course and one of the nation’s 2 rst urban green-collar job-training and allowed residents to understand that there were alternatives for placement systems. the waterfront? A winner of a 3..1 MacArthur Fellowship—commonly referred to as the “genius” award—and named one of Newsweek’s “Who’s Next in 3..A,” In 2 ghting against that waste facil- Carter says that a holistic vision of neighborhood improvement could ity, we did have to do some work to be taken to global scale if both societies and political leaders had the help the community understand that will to persist. there were other things they could be hoping for in their own community. Giving people an opportunity to think about what our future could be, especially when they nev- What is the driving philosophy behind er really thought about it before, was incredibly di4 cult. Sustainable South Bronx? You know, it's easy to get demoralized when we don't re- First, what we tried to do was look at our environment ally think that there are any options. It's as a holistic place. I’ll point to Dr. Martin Luther King, hard to have a vision when all you see is Jr. because this is the /.th anniversary of his death. Dr. destruction around you. So in develop- “The freedom to King was always preaching in favor of racial justice, but ing waterfront parks in the community if you look at the evolution of his thinking as he got old- and realizing that we had a waterfront actually have a er, his preaching was also as much about economic jus- worth revitalizing, it helped support our tice. You can make a man as free as you want, but if his community desire, and allowed folks livelihood that is community is struggling, what does that freedom really to see themselves di? erently—and also mean if he can’t put food on the table for his family or to force people on the outside to see us not degenerative keep his head above water? as not just communities 2 lled with gar- + e freedom to actually have a livelihood that is not bage. + at was really incredible. in any way is an degenerative in any way is an excruciatingly important But the beautiful part was really what thing—to actually be able to provide for people every- happened after that. We were able to excruciatingly where. And so, like Dr. King, we worked really hard on apply for a little bit of seed grant money our end to build the kind of capacity in our community and turn that little dump into the 2 rst important thing.” to help folks understand how important the environ- waterfront park my neighborhood's ment was, because it was a? ecting our public health. had in more than B. years.

And that ties into the work Sustainable South Bronx How did this project and projects like it help to fuel did with the South Bronx Greenway project. the green economy? What happened when people were employed to work on the restoration? Yes. Take the work we did for our waterfront, and then to circle back a little bit on that, we got started in this work We noticed that, as we worked to restore the waterfront,

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 9 Cover Story JAMES BURLING CHASE BURLING JAMES

people were being imported into the community to do answer would be “No.” If you ask if it’s a place where you this work. It was, after all, restoration work, and obvi- can 2 nd di? erent people with mixed incomes living in ously involved a good deal of skill, but it was a skill that one geographic area? + e answer would be “No.” you can train somebody to do. How is that sustainable, especially for the other com- And we asked ourselves "Why aren’t we teaching our munities, when the outer boroughs of New York City are young people and adults about how to do this?" + at’s bearing the burdens of Manhattan's glory? I 2 nd that when it occurred to us that people from within our kind of scary, when it gets right down to it. community could serve as stewards of their environ- It’s not just talking about New York City. I'm saying this ment—making sure that they have both a personal and for all over the country, because what we have in so many a 2 nancial stake in it. of our cities are many, many poor communities of all col- We were able to get some initial funding to do a Bronx ors, that are struggling, and they're being left out of much River Restoration job training program that we called of these economic booms again. We’re trying to make the River Heroes. + e goal was that folks got the training, link between living and working, from health impacts of went through this fast-track program for the project. global warming and poverty, and even prisons. + en, what happened was that we realized there's You know, when I say something like that, most folks actually even more opportunities out there. We started will say, “Well, you need prisons." And while that’s true, thinking about expanding our reach so that we could when you've got poverty, you've got diminished opportu- work to make our students more marketable and to see nities for employment. It’s easier for people to end up in what other opportunities there are. After doing some jail because there are the attractions of the illegal econ- market research ourselves, we realized that there were omy. Combine that with lack of greenery, you have high- landscaping companies doing things er stress rates. You've got higher crime. You've got higher like brown2 eld remediation. + ere cost to government, businesses, and communities. “It occurred to were folks who needed tree prun- What we're trying to do, in terms of green jobs, is link ers—you name it—any kind of thing the two ideas of poverty alleviation and environment us that people that had to do with horticultural in- remediation so that they're dependent on each other. frastructure, there was a need for it. And it helps to support the environment. + e economic within our We realized that we had to tailor fabric of communities needs to be strong if we're going our program to make sure that we to have strong communities. Our country is simply a community were training people to do that, and bunch of communities all pushed together and we need the program has grown since. For in- them all to be strong. could serve as stance, we're working now to move into solar installations and also build- " is goes back to your point about holistic plan- stewards of their ing retro2 ts and performing energy ning. Looking at New York City, how has Sustainable South Bronx gone about working with city and state audits, because we see an upcoming government to achieve those holistic goals? environment.” market, [for which] we want to pre- pare our students to perform well! It's di4 cult, because right now their idea of “holistic” is putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. For example, “Sustainability” is a very sexy they'll plant a whole bunch of trees, but many of those term right now, but it probably still doesn’t carry a trees will die because we haven't built in stewardship lot of weight with some people. What are some of the opportunities to support them. And as for quality of obstacles you’ve hit in getting people to understand neighborhoods, even though we are living in an era what Sustainable South Bronx is trying to achieve? of falling crime rates, the city is trying to build a huge I'm front-row center for so much of this, it’s like living ,,1..-bed jail in the neighborhood! Up until very recent- and working in an environmental-justice community. ly, they wanted to build it on a site that was a really won- We’re living in a city that professes to be one of the green- derful place, a unique place in New York City. + e area est cities in the world, and it's just not true when it gets is 36 acres that had both barge and rail access, and it’s right down to it. When you look at “the shining jewel” of where we are actively pushing for an eco-industrial cen- New York City, which is Manhattan, you might see a nice, ter, which is a collection of businesses that use recycled clean, shining jewel. Yes, it is clean. Yes, it is booming. materials as raw materials. Yes, it is lovely, you know? But, you have to ask the ques- So, here we are providing both economic develop- tion: “Does Manhattan handle any of its own waste?”+ e ment and solid-waste mitigation through what could be answer would be “No.” If you ask the question: “Does it a beautiful facility and provide hundreds and hundreds deal with any of its own power-generation needs?” + e of jobs. Fortunately, the city backed o? that particular

10 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org JAMES BURLING CHASE BURLING JAMES

site, but they're still hell-bent on building this jail. trying to make money in the underground economy. Majora Carter, We've got a really high unemployment rate here. We And then, on top of all of that, you add the cost sav- left, says that should be looking at people not as problems. We need ings in terms of public health, because, again, if cities getting residents to get people to think about quality of life and putting are cooler, well, you know the rest. Hotter places are involved in food on the table not in terms of selling a couple of bags point sources for greenhouse gases—like New York City. community of weed, but through opportunity and what’s out there + e hotter the areas are, the more asthma you have. So, revitalization for them. + at is something that our city has to take re- why aren't we working to cool our cities and making will have long- sponsibility for. It hasn’t. sure that all of those trees live! term effects on I'm more concerned about the fact that there are huge schools, health, So Sustainable South Bronx’s goals can be attained, public-health costs, because poor people do not pay for and quality of life. but the city needs to get on board. " at’s basically their own care. Somebody else does, whether it's the city what you’re saying? or the state, and we need to recognize the value of in- We need large-scale training opportunities. And by that, vesting in people and the environment and at the same I mean, large-scale (laughs). I mean, believe me, we do time try to recoup the bene2 ts of making people a part great work in my agency, but it’s small, you know? of their own city development. We are limited by the private dollars that we raise. However, if the city wants to make some real investments It would seem that, outlined logically as you have that could pay dividends back to the communities that been trying to do all around the country, it should make perfect sense to a lot of folks. But are you # nd- had been formerly written o? , it could invest in training ing it hard for government to respond enthusiasti- people to do the kind of environmental services that are cally in working with poorer neighborhoods? going to help them mitigate and manage their storm wa- ter. For instance, it would cost the city billions to install + e biggest obstacle is that investments in people like green roofs [on government buildings]. + e city is go- this are not considered important. We’ve got the com- ing to need trained individuals to do energy audits. + e missioner of the Department of Corrections running communities and the city would be one step ahead of the around talking about how wonderful this jail is going to game, and people would not have to be running around be. Also, who’s being held accountable for how crappy

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 11 Cover Story

our schools are? Or 2 guring out ways that we can actu- by “us,” I mean “me, myself and I.” And don’t forget that we ally be supportive of people? did a really wonderful thing with the waste facility, when, I think, when it comes right down to it, there are some at 2 rst it was just Guiliani telling people that he wants people in our society who place di? erent values on dif- to build another waste facility. Back then, I remember ferent people. In our communities, we're not considered hearing the resignation in people's voices, people saying particularly valuable. It's because—I believe—we are “Well, it's the South Bronx. Clearly you've been away for a poor and because we are of color. while, little girl. + is is what happens here.” Because of that, certain things are thought about us, And maybe I was away for a little while, and didn’t get and there's really not much we can do to deal with that it. But when we help people understand the links be- other than the approach that we're trying to do. It’s just tween their kids' health and the waste facilities that were the culture that we live in now. But it’s costing us. + e already here, they were like, "Oh, we're not gonna let an- social mores that we hold dear are costing us more than other one get built here," and then the city got that. they are creating for us. But I'm hoping that people start to realize that it is Are you # nding that contractors or specialists in the costing society as a whole, because these are the kind green economies are picking up the workers that you are training? of things that you just don’t see in wealthier, whiter parts of the city. It's a daily game, literally. We have to work to talk to po- “If you green up + ese are things that are obviously tential employers about their needs and what they con- not in our best interest as a society. sider valuable in an employee. We have to work that way cities, then you and see what they're doing so we can make sure that we So "Greening the Ghetto," to use have the best possible person out there for folks. have healthier the Sustainable South Bronx term, is far more than # xing up Describe the job-training program. waterfronts and creating jobs. It's places—physically, It's a ,.-week program that we run three times a year. We a way of life. can handle up to 3. people per semester, and the stu- spiritually, and Just look at all of the research and the dents learn skills in a variety of 2 elds from urban forestry information that's out there. If you management to green roof installation, from wetland economically.” green up cities, then you have health- and stream-bank restoration to brown2 eld remediation. ier places—physically, spiritually, and Graduating students get two certi2 cations in cleaning up economically. We need to look at ev- contaminated land safely. + ey also get a whole bunch of erything that we’re doing in that context, particularly our other certi2 cations, everything from 2 rst aid and CPR. cities, but everywhere, quite frankly. It’s a pretty intensive program, but what’s really impor- But the roots of this country I think run really deep, tant is the fact that we try really hard to work on the de- and I do think the value that's placed on poor people velopment of life skills, because so many of the folks that and poor people of color is really not that high. come through our program had actually never worked; many of them were formerly incarcerated. + ese are not You’re saying that you have to look at the big pic- folks with the best job skills out there, and so we have to ture, but when you put it like that, there must be teach things like getting up on time and so forth. some people in the communities you’re working It’s important for workers to understand that they're with who are simply overwhelmed by this prospect. not lone wolves when they go out on a job. We need to You’re right (laughs). Four hundred years of this and then be helping people deal with some of the really antisocial Majora Carter from the Bronx is going to try to deal with behavior that has often become perfectly acceptable in it. It drives me a little crazy sometimes, I'll admit. our communities. It’s a really di4 cult thing, but many people really struggle to make sure that folks realize How do you get people to think positively about this? that they don't have to be like that. So, the soft skills, or + e same way that we're trying to get our city and our life skills, as we like to call them, are really important for state and anybody, you know, who's looking at us to look us to learn and teach our young people. at us di? erently. We try to help them see how develop- ing their neighborhoods and being a part of the green Are employers hesitant to get on board? economy will bene2 t them. No. Everything that we do is seriously all about building Human beings might not be that smart about support- relationships. So we have to talk to the employers, be- ing their own or preserving their species, but we're pretty cause much of the work doesn't really require a college cool at understanding how this going to bene2 t us. And education, but base-level training. We’re 2 nding that

12 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Cover Story

most employers are thrilled to have an employee who about the elite. And I think even all of the candidates, to will show up on time, understands how to be part of a some extent, are more in0 uenced by that. team, and has a basic knowledge in horticultural infra- However, I think that the capacity for change is more structure and stu? like that. And that's what we know heightened. I think in Obama there is a willingness we can give folks, which is really great. to really explore new things. I think he'll be a much We're not asking anybody to make amends for our quicker study and won't be afraid to make the kind of people. We are training our folks to compete and be changes that we need on a federal level to support a marketable. We're not asking for any handouts. We're green economy, because it's not just going to be groups not asking for them to accept second best. We can't do like Sustainable South Bronx that are doing wonderful that. We fully expect our people to be able to explore green-collar job-training programs. and do really well. We’re expecting them to have aspi- We need to make sure that there are federal invest- rations in their thinking and for their own career. Most ments. I’m calling it the Green New Deal that actually sup- folks who come to us are adults. + is program is not for ports the kind of major investment incentives that support anybody under ,6. As a matter of fact, we 2 nd that the the birth, the maintenance, and the growth of the green best people in our program are in their mid-5.s. economy with results that are from the top down and the bottom up. We are looking to close the gap between rich Let’s end on a political note. What kind of dialogue and poor, and making life green for all—the name of the would you like to see during the upcoming presi- group that I co-founded along with Van Jones. dential elections? I don’t think any of the candidates truly understand " is requires the vigorous advocacy and public rela- what the green economy can mean for our communities. tions campaigns that both you and Mr. Jones have embarked on. People are still looking at it from more of a mainstream kind of environmental perspective, which doesn't really Yes. It’s a punishing schedule (laughs). But it’s not a pie- include the capacity to develop poor communities and in-the-sky kind of thing. + is is a really beautiful way to to bring them into this economy. It is much, much more make these things happen. !

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www.nhi.org Shelterforce 13 Cover Story

Taking the LEED in Your Community Through local and regional initiatives, communities are tailoring the eco-revolution for their backyards. By Ted Wysocki

> #"& $*7 C877# revolution should be un- development practitioners have a vital role to play in en- derway in your town. + e question is: What suring that the answer is both inclusive and equitable. does it mean for your community? For the Bconstruction and architectural professions, What Kind of Jobs? the answer increasingly revolves around “Leadership in Under the leadership of Green For All, a national move- Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) certi2 cation. ment is arising with the mission to “build a green econ- Established by the U.S. Green Building Council omy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.” + is (USGBC) in 3..., LEED certi2 cation is actively being nascent coalition was launched at the Clinton Global pursued not only for new commercial development Initiative in 3..A. It grew out of the work of Van Jones, but also for renovation of existing buildings, including who founded the Oakland, California-based Ella Baker homes and o4 ces, and for entire neighborhoods. Center for Human Rights in ,--B. Green For All is advo- LEED certi2 cation also presents opportunities for cating for governmental commitments to job training, community development professionals to pursue an- employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities in the other LEED—local economic and employment develop- green economy, especially for people from disadvan- ment for our communities. From + e Wall Street Journal, taged communities. which devoted a special section on March 3/, 3..6 to In March, Green For All, in partnership with the “ECO:nomics—Creating Environmental Capital,” to ! e Apollo Alliance, the Center for American Progress, and New York Times Magazine’s “Green Issue” on April 3., the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, released “Green- 3..6, to National Public Radio, which reports almost Collar Jobs in America’s Cities.” To spur the creation of daily on the varied nuances of green practices, there’s green-collar jobs and opportunity in local communi- no shortage of media attention to sustainable develop- ties, the report o? ers ,/ case studies of successful green- ment. + e challenge remains for us to make “green” real collar job training programs in ,, communities on both for all American communities. coasts, as well as in the Midwest and the South. As the buzz spreads, local initiatives are sparking up “Green-Collar Jobs in America’s Cities” de2 nes these and striving to de2 ne “green.” State and local govern- jobs as “well-paid, career track jobs that contribute di- ments are promoting energy e4 ciency and exploring rectly to preserving or enhancing environmental quality.” renewable energy options. Traditional environmental ef- + e report notes that like blue-collar jobs, “green-collar forts continue to focus on waste and pollution reduction. jobs range from low-skill, entry level positions to high- Communities are turning vacant land into urban farms to skill, higher-paid jobs, and include opportunities for ad- grow fresh produce locally. Perhaps above all, the public is vancement in both skills and wages.” beginning to better understand and accept that reducing While the global economy has resulted in a steady loss emissions is imperative to combating climate change. of American jobs as corporations outsource production It is this imperative, more than any other, which has and service operations, the report emphasizes, “Green- moved green from a lot of talk to the engine of profound collar jobs tend to be local because many involve work market change that is creating a host of job opportunities. transforming and upgrading the immediate built and But in a society with a widening gap between the haves natural environment—retro2 tting buildings, installing and the have-nots, the question of who bene2 ts from the solar panels, constructing transit lines, and landscaping.” advent of the green economy remains open. Community Although some green-collar jobs are in new occupa-

14 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org TED WYSOCKI TED

tions, most are existing jobs that require knowledge about new green practices. But the key factor is whether the job advances two complementary goals: improving the environment and providing family-supporting wages or a career ladder. “Our green future will be invented at the local level,” insists Jones, founder and president of Green For All. “We are on the cusp of incredible change. We hope that this publication helps people in cities across the country realize their own dreams of a strong green economy that provides pathways to prosperity for people in need.” + e community-development movement should be embracing green as a new paradigm for our work—not just adding LEED certi2 cation for our brick and mortar, but more importantly as a strategy for local economic and employment development to improve the health and wealth of our communities and constituents. + at’s what we are striving to do in Chicago. ridor by advancing new technology for alternative fuels, LEED Council’s LEEDing the Way recycling, and green building development. skills trainer, + e Local Economic & Employment Development Spurred by LEED Council’s public information e? orts, Dean Rennie (LEED) Council in Chicago has been striving to lead the council member Chicago Scenic Studios voluntarily (lower left), way in green development for 3B years as a delegate agen- started using low VOC (volatile organic compound) shows trainees cy of Chicago’s Department of Planning & Development. paints in 3..B to participate in Clean Air Counts’ re- how to build a + e department works with businesses in the North gional goal of reducing polluting emissions by 2 ve tons green partition River Industrial Corridor, which follows the Chicago per day. According to Bob Doepel, the company’s found- wall connection River northwest from downtown. + is area is home to a er and owner, “our change was calculated to reduce to maximize diverse business base from Vienna hot dogs to Wrigley emissions by B,B pounds that year.” Stressing what a dif- effective gum; from Water Saver Faucets to C.H. Robinson, a glob- ference even one small, 2 rst step of this kind can make, weatherization. al third-party logistics 2 rm. While we identify solutions Doepel says, “Today, implementing sustainable prac- for business expansion and retention, the second “E” in tices and reducing energy consumption have become our mission is for “employment,” providing job training essential for our business and our clients, whether they and placement for low-skilled, unemployed people to be Oprah Winfrey or the public art project, Cool Globes, match local employment needs. that we did in the summer of 3..A.” In 3../, LEED Council began promoting green or sus- tainable development as a new programming area to im- From Shuttered Factory to Green Business Hub prove air quality and to mitigate tra4 c congestion as a Many communities throughout the country, especially demonstration corridor for the regional Clean Air Counts here in the Midwest, are faced with shuttered factories; campaign of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. As part of but these liabilities can have new life as valuable assets for our strategic plan, we de2 ne “sustainable development” green businesses. When Chicago lamp maker Frederick as fostering economic growth while reducing environ- Cooper revealed in 3../ that it planned to close down mental impact. LEED Council now has several projects its factory at US -/ (Kennedy Expressway) and Diversey within the context of our local economic and employ- Avenue, many expected that the factory would become a ment development mission to encourage both green condominium development. In fact, one of the city’s big- business growth and skills training for green jobs. gest condo developers was ready to sweep in. + e council is encouraging business and commu- + e Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) nity awareness and adoption of green practices, such as is a grass-roots community organization serving the the use of non-toxic paints and cleaning products. It is multi-ethnic communities of Logan Square and the promoting the use of public transit with the corporate Lathrop Homes, a public-housing development. LSNA sponsorship of an express bus that links to commuter organized neighbors, veteran Cooper workers, and the rail. It is working with member businesses to decrease LEED Council to form the Cooper Lamps Task Force. As emissions by promoting energy e4 ciency. And it is also Cooper began to lay o? ,31 workers during the summer striving to improve the ecological footprint of the cor- of 3..1, the task force obtained enhanced job-training

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 15 Cover Story

from the city and severance bene2 ts from the owners, as model for promoting green practices and development. they organized a community campaign to preserve the Building on existing relationships and forging new ones, factory as a site for jobs. With the support of Alderman LEED Council reached out to build a coalition for green Manny Flores (,st Ward) for a jobs-focused use for the jobs all over Chicago. plant, the big condo developer backed o? and sold the Since the fall of 3..A, Chicago groups that support a plant to Baum Realty, a commercial developer. green agenda have been collaborating—2 rst informally Today, Baum is renovating the shuttered factory into and now deliberately—to pursue the promise of green the Green Exchange, a sustainable business community jobs. + e 2 rst joint project was to convene a December designed for the advancement of the green marketplace. 3..A summit to explore both local and national e? orts With a mix of green businesses under one very green promoting green-collar jobs. Representatives from Green roof, this four-story 3A3,...-square-foot space will fos- for All and its national partners, the Apollo Alliance and ter synergies and provide a variety of opportunities for the Workforce Alliance, were speakers at the summit, its tenants to grow green exponentially. + e developers which attracted more than ,1. attendees from a wide va- plan to deliver space to tenants in late 3..6 and are cur- riety of professional and community backgrounds. rently negotiating with green businesses seeking a retail A steering committee now guides the Chicagoland presence, showroom galleries, o4 ce or working/living Green Collar Jobs Initiative. Members include BIG: space. + e mission of the Green Exchange is to “move Blacks in Green; Chicago Federation of Labor Workers the green marketplace from niche to mainstream while Assistance Committee; Chicago Sustainable Business furthering the green economy and serving people, plan- Alliance; City of Chicago Department of Environment; et and pro2 t,” according to David Baum. Delta Institute; LEED Council; Midwest Energy Meanwhile, as construction continues, LSNA and E4 ciency Alliance; U.S. Green Building Council Chicago LEED Council are identifying residents who have the Chapter; and Wilbur Wright College, one of the City skills for the spectrum of jobs to be o? ered by the incom- Colleges of Chicago. Quarterly meetings with other in- ing tenants. “If it weren’t for neighborhood leaders, this terested organizations are fostering ongoing dialogue building would have been condos,” notes LSNA organizer on both policy and programs. John McDermott. “We want to make sure that neighbor- + e diversity of these agencies and the growing num- hood families who are low and moderate income get to ber of 3..6 partners demonstrate the breadth of stake- participate in and bene2 t from this innovative project.” holders that can be assembled to collaborate and are necessary to develop a skilled workforce that is ready Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative to meet employer demands in the new “green” market. Leveraging the opportunity that one building o? ers + e initiative will engage Chicago-area employers, job- for a more far-reaching impact requires partnering on seekers, training providers, and public agencies in the a broader scale. With the leadership of Mayor Richard development of workforce programs for emerging green M. Daley, the City of Chicago has become a national jobs and to capture these new employment opportuni- ties for Chicagoland’s low-skilled individuals. Emerging green-collar jobs in the Chicago region can RESOURCES be categorized in several sectors: • Energy e4 ciency for homes and commercial buildings Local Economic & Employment Green for All • Building construction and operations, such as green Development Council www.nhi.org/go/greenforall cleaning www.nhi.org/go/leedcouncil • Alternative energy service providers (solar, wind, geo- Ella Baker Center thermal) Chicagoland Green Collar www.nhi.org/go/ellabakercenter Jobs Initiative • Installation and maintenance of storm water manage- www.nhi.org/go/greencouncilchicago Apollo Alliance ment systems (green roof, permeable pavement, rain- www.nhi.org/go/apolloalliance water collection) Green Exchange • Urban horticulture and agriculture (landscaping and www.nhi.org/go/greenexchange The Workforce Alliance farming) www.nhi.org/go/workforcealliance Logan Square Neighborhood • Green-related products and services (recycling and Association U.S. Green Building Council supplies) www.nhi.org/go/logansquare www.nhi.org/go/usgreenbuilding + e initiative will interview businesses to determine the Wilbur Wright Community College number and type of green jobs and the skills and training www.nhi.org/go/wilburwright required for these jobs. We will then invite businesses to

16 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Cover Story

become engaged with the Initiative’s Employer Advisory Green Jobs Act (GJA) is a pilot program to identify needed Council to review current training programs and, based skills, develop training programs, and train workers for on identi2 ed employer demand, to advise on new curricu- jobs in a range of industries—including energy-e4 cient lum development for both incumbent workers and those building, construction and retro2 ts, renewable electric seeking entry into green jobs with career ladders. power, energy-e4 cient vehicles, biofuels, and manufac- Victoria Cooper, director of the Environmental turing that produces sustainable products and uses sus- Technology Program at Chicago’s Wilbur Wright tainable processes and materials. It targets a broad range Community College, pioneered a six-course, 3,-credit- of populations for eligibility, but has a special focus on hour occupational certi2 cate in building energy tech- creating “green pathways out of poverty.” nologies. As a founding partner, Victoria o? ers both her + e Green Jobs Act became Title X of the Energy environmental and educational expertise to the initia- Independence and Security Act (often referred to as the tive. Cooper notes, “+ e initiative is bringing the right “3..A Energy Bill”), which Congress passed and President partners to the table to identify the most promising Bush signed in late 3..A. + e program will be adminis- green-collar jobs and then to design a career-ladder ap- tered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in consulta- proach so an individual can 2 rst gain entry to a green tion with the Department of Energy. job and then pursue further training. + is is a great ex- However, while funds were authorized, they were not ample of how educational institutions and non-pro2 ts appropriated, so full funding will have to be secured in can work together with employers to promote green.” the next appropriations cycle—which will not be com- + e timing of the initiative has coincided with the pleted until late 3..6. It is also possible that Congress formulation of the City of Chicago’s Climate Action will 2 nd a way to fund the GJA programs in a supple- Plan, which is developing strategies to reduce emissions mentary spending bill or an economic stimulus package centered on buildings, renewable energy, transporta- before the end of 3..6. tion, waste, and pollution. + e initiative will work with the City’s Climate Action Jobs Task Force to also study Eco-Development or Eco-Apartheid? employers’ demand for green-skilled workers in these Whether authorization happens in 3..6 or whether it sectors and to identify funding opportunities for new is delayed until a new administration takes o4 ce, the green-jobs skills-training. community-development 2 eld should not wait to orga- nize around a green agenda. A Green White House? + e National Community Reinvestment Coalition As the Chicago e? orts and other sustainable-develop- held a plenary at its March 3..6 annual conference ti- ment initiatives nationwide build momentum, practitio- tled “+ e Nexus between Environmental and Economic ners and policymakers alike are becoming more aware Justice: Harnessing the Green Economy for Community that the November elections are likely to have a profound Reinvestment.” + e session included a screening of e? ect on their outcomes. It’s not only about a change in the documentary, “+ e New Dream...the 5rd Wave of environmental policies; it’s about economic incentives Environmentalism.” + is enlightening documentary for green businesses and federal funding for green jobs. produced by the Ella Baker Center presents opportuni- Whoever occupies the White House during the next ties for future community development such as install- four years will have to heed the calls for green policies ing solar panels to make homes more energy e4 cient and practices. How much the next president embraces and a? ordable. the green economy will have lasting environmental and However, as Van Jones predicts in his closing comments economic impact on the nation and our communities. in the 2 lm, inaction on our part will only further divide our A starting point for the next administration is the country—with “eco-development” and green bene2 ts for Green Jobs Act of 3..A, (H.R. 36/A), introduced by rep- some, but “eco-apartheid” for low-income and minority resentatives Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) and John Tierney communities exposed to hazardous environmental condi- (D-Mass.), with signi2 cant support from Rep. George tions and denied access to the skills training necessary to Miller (D-Calif.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi participate in and bene2 t from a green economy. TED WYSOCKI (D-Calif.). + e Senate version was sponsored by sena- + e nation cannot a? ord to squander the opportunity is president tors Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). to coalesce around an environmental and community and CEO of the Promoted by Green for All in conjunction with + e development agenda that o? ers pathways out of poverty Local Economic Workforce Alliance, the Green Jobs Act of 3..A autho- and moves us toward energy-e4 cient, healthy commu- & Employment rized @,31 million annually to create an Energy E4 ciency nities. As community-development professionals, we Development and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program as an must embrace green as a local economic and employ- (LEED) Council, amendment to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). + e ment-development strategy to ful2 ll our mission. ! Chicago, Ill.

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 17 ROBERT THORNTON ROBERT

Corner stores, like this one on the south side of Chicago, face challenges in stocking fresh, quality, affordable produce.

Making Food Deserts Bloom Finding fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods can be a struggle, but community efforts are striving to fi ll the void. By Kari Lydersen

# ="&-;#)"'7 (8<:#, particularly African- “+ ere is a tremendous lack of fresh produce in these American, neighborhoods across the country, you neighborhoods,” said Jacquie Berger, executive direc- can often go dozens of city blocks without encoun- tor of the New York nonpro2 t group Just Food. “+ ere Itering a fresh vegetable or a piece of fruit. aren’t many full-service groceries, and even if there are + at’s largely because major chain grocery stores the produce tends not to be great. Everyone goes to the have deemed it uneconomical to do business in these bodegas, with notoriously bad, overpriced produce. You neighborhoods. Corner stores, ubiquitous in low-in- get four peppers wrapped in plastic, and one is rotten.” come neighborhoods, stock mostly processed packaged snacks, and smaller independent groceries often have Mapping Food Deserts sub-par o? erings, many past their peak. A study released in April tracking food access in Chicago For people living in America’s food deserts, there is and its suburbs found that low-income communities generally a high incidence of diet-linked health prob- lack access to full-service grocery stores, and the situ- lems such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. ation is getting worse. In the mostly African-American A distance of several miles to a grocery store, which neighborhood of Riverdale on the far south side, a resi- might not seem like a big deal in a more aD uent area, dent would have to travel on average 5.3 miles to reach a becomes a problem for people who don’t have cars or major grocery store. access to quality public transportation, and who may be Daniel Block, an associate geography professor at at risk while making long treks on foot through crime- Chicago State University who co-authored the study, says plagued streets. that chains such as Cub Foods, Jewel, and Dominick’s

18 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Cover Story ROBERT THORNTON ROBERT

have closed many urban locations in the past two years. At that time, about A,,... Philadelphians reported hav- “+ ese companies are 2 nancially scrunched. + ey ing a hard time 2 nding fresh produce in their neighbor- need to be speci2 c about where they’re opening, and hood, according to the Food Trust. It is not surprising they don’t want to change their model much,” he says. that lower-income residents in the grocery-deprived ar- Block adds that many small independent grocery eas were also signi2 cantly more likely to eat takeout or stores are converting to dollar stores that carry little or fast food more than three times a week. no fresh food. An increasing number of small discount grocery stores such as Aldi and Food / Less have opened CSAs, Urban Gardens, Growing Power, in urban Chicago neighborhoods, o? ering some fresh Fighting Worms produce, but far from an ideal or high-quality selection. Fortunately, a wide and growing number of government- However, Block’s study found that some immigrant and nonpro2 t-funded and purely grass-roots projects communities, particularly Latino enclaves, still had across the country have coalesced into a movement ample access to fresh produce thanks to local ethnic known as sustainable “food justice” and “food security,” markets and street vendors. + e relatively low-income, promoting access to fresh, often organ- largely immigrant neighborhoods of Pilsen and Uptown ic produce in low-income areas and, in in Chicago boasted fresh produce within only a quarter- many cases, also creating job opportu- “Any time you mile on average. But a full-service grocery store was still nities and a holistic connection with more than a mile away for Pilsen residents. food production for residents of these get them outside (+ is is not true in every city; immigrant neighbor- communities. hoods in other major urban areas do su? er serious lack + is is part of a growing trend of it’s great. My of access to fresh food.) “sustainable agriculture;” sustainable in Block noted that even with local produce outlets, resi- at least two senses. motto is, ‘Leave dents interviewed in Chicago immigrant communities First, when produce is grown on feel they still su? er from the lack of adequate grocery small organic farms or in community no child inside.’ “ stores. Partly because of community pride, they want gardens, it is ecologically sustainable as their neighborhood recognized as worthy of main- opposed to large-scale corporate mon- stream investment. Local stores are also unlikely to oculture that relies heavily on pesticides and herbicides stock organic produce, tend to charge higher prices, and and leaves soil depleted. And when food is grown locally, generally carry produce that is slightly less fresh than at it avoids the emission of greenhouse gases and other ills chain grocery stores with more e4 cient economies of associated with long-distance transportation. scale and delivery systems. Second, these projects are economically sustainable A 3../ report in the “Food for Every Child” series by for low-income communities, because they are oper- the Food Trust in Philadelphia (www.thefoodtrust.org/ ated on a small scale with a sense of purpose and hence php/programs/super.market.campaign.phpE3) notes the not obligated to turn a signi2 cant pro2 t to justify their city has the second lowest per-capita number of super- existence—though it would be preferable for the often- markets nationwide. Based on a ,--1 study of 3, metro volunteer participants to earn more income from them. areas by the Public Voice for Food and Health Policy, the Major grocery chains bound to a bottom-line analysis, report says Philadelphia has A. too few supermarkets by contrast, are usually extremely reluctant to open to serve the city’s low-income communities. + e Food branches in disinvested neighborhoods, and they are li- Trust uses statistical mapping methodology to track su- able to pull out quickly if business is not going well. permarket prevalence in relation to income, auto owner- Small-scale community projects are usually designed ship, and other factors. Using ,--6 city data on mortality, to operate on shoestring budgets and are mission-rather the study found there were A,16B diet-related deaths per than market-driven, funded by grants, government sub- square mile in the city, including stomach, cardiovascu- sidies, and donations. lar, and other diseases. + e rate of such deaths was nota- Community-supported agriculture projects (CSAs) bly higher in low-income, supermarket-deprived areas. often stem from such community action. A typical CSA In a 3../ survey of more than ,.,... Philadelphia involves a small farm in or near an urban area that has households, the Food Trust found that more than 5. per- subscribers pay a seasonal fee for weekly deliveries of cent of African Americans reported fair- or poor-quality mixed produce (often along with organic eggs, co? ee, and grocery access, compared to 3/ percent of Latinos, ,1 other goods). Many CSAs charge higher prices to people percent of Asians, and ,, percent of whites. Adults in fair who can a? ord it—usually asking subscribers to volun- or poor health were twice as likely to report fair or poor tarily identify themselves as capable of paying a higher access to groceries compared to adults in good health. price to help subsidize free or low-cost deliveries for low-

www.nhi.org Shelterforce 19 ROBERT THORNTON

dered out by the housing authority. A banner was hung outside the condemned building pleading for the life of Robert Taylor’s “Fighting Worms.” + e worms and tilapia 2 nally froze to death just before Christmas in ,--- after the housing authority shut o? the power. + omas continues the compost and tilapia projects in other locations. “+ ey do everything from making their own soil to composting it to raising vegetables to eating them to sharing them with their neighbors,” she said. + e Chicory Center, based on the same southwest Michigan farm as God’s Gang, operates a CSA on a shoe-string budget, delivering organic produce to pay- Carolyn Thomas, income people. Some CSAs include programs that bring ing subscribers and free deliveries to immigrant families a retired postal urban youth and adults to the farms to work and learn. in Chicago. Chicory Center founder David Meyers also carrier in Meanwhile, community gardens and indoor urban uses the organization as a vehicle for social justice, do- Chicago, leads agriculture projects foster the production of fresh pro- nating proceeds from his fair-trade co? ee sales to vari- inner-city youth duce right in an urban neighborhood and sometimes ous local activist groups and including lea0 ets about in tending geese generate income for community residents. + e NGO political prisoners and community struggles along with and chickens and Heifer Project International funds various urban agri- recipes in his CSA deliveries. raising organic culture projects in low-income U.S. communities, similar And in Milwaukee, Will Allen, who once played for vegetables to their food-security e? orts in developing countries. A the now-defunct American Basketball Association, runs through the staple of such projects are worm compost bins, where the organization Growing Power, a farm within the city group God’s natural food waste and table scraps are composted with limits that sells food to upscale Chicago restaurants. Gang. the help of worms to create a rich, loamy soil that can be Growing Power has trained more than ,,... low-income sold or used for gardening. Participants in those projects kids in farming and now employs more than 1. young also often raise tilapia—a hardy 2 sh with market value— people in Chicago and Milwaukee doing outreach, edu- in indoor bins, and even cycle the water from the tilapia cation, farming and other jobs. projects through organic vegetable beds for natural 2 l- tration, creating a sustainable self-contained system. Healthier Corner Stores In Chicago, retired postal carrier Carolyn + omas in- Meanwhile, in cities from New Orleans to Boston to volves young people from public housing and other margin- Oakland, nonpro2 t and government-funded programs alized neighborhoods in farming through God’s Gang—a are striving to improve the availability and quality of positive alternative to the street gangs which might other- produce in small neighborhood groceries, colloquially wise claim their attention. God’s Gang farms 2 ve acres in (and often literally) referred to as “corner stores.” southwest Michigan and also helps raise and sell free-range + e national Healthy Corner Stores Network counts poultry from a central Illinois farm. + e young people sell 3.. member organizations in di? erent cities, which use the produce at farmers markets in low-income, vegetable- grant funding to urge corner stores to stock and adver- poor areas of Chicago, as well as to some local stores, and tise healthier fare. bring healthy food home to their families. Already this year In New Orleans last fall, Dora’s Supermarket in the the group has planted 31. pounds of garlic, which should Bywater neighborhood hard-hit by Hurricane Katrina be- yield a ,,...-pound harvest. came the poster child for a joint project of the city govern- “Any time you get them outside it’s great,” said ment and Louisiana Public Health Institute to place fresh + omas. “My motto is, ‘Leave no child inside’ “—a play fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy and whole-grain prod- on President Bush’s education slogan. Meanwhile, the ucts in corner stores. Since New Orleans lost 3, of its 5B yard of + omas’s South Side home is a labyrinth of or- major grocery stores in Katrina, corner stores have been a ganic vegetables, herbs, ducks, and chickens, all cared staple food source for residents of all income levels. for by local kids. In Washington D.C., a similar program involves the God’s Gang tended worm-compost bins and tilapia in Korean American Grocers Association, the city health the violence-plagued Robert Taylor Homes high-rises until department, and various community groups. the buildings were closed and torn down as part of the city’s “It wasn’t as hard as you might think to convince own- plan for transformation of public housing. Residents—and ers to participate,” says Hannah Laurison, a senior associ- the worms—remained in the development after being or- ate at Public Health Law and Policy, one of the conveners

20 Summer 2008 www.nhi.org Cover Story

of the Healthy Corner Stores Network. “One of the chal- Food Justice’s training and now gives presentations on lenges for advocates is to create sustainable projects to making healthy baby food at farmers markets around get the stores to do it themselves,” adding that shop own- the city. Food Justice initially paid her @,.. for two-hour ers are often under the mistaken impression that local workshops, and now she commands similar rates for residents aren’t interested in fresh produce. presentations she sets up herself. “We’ve done focus groups with low-income residents In San Francisco, a city-funded pilot project, San who said their corner stores didn’t sell quality products, Francisco victory gardens, was launched in 3..A and is they’re too expensive, unsafe and unclean, so they’re get- helping residents of all income levels grow vegetables ting on buses to get fruit and vegetables. But the store in their own yards. + e project is based on the Victory owners said residents didn’t want fruit and vegetables, Gardens movement during World Wars I and II, when city only alcohol and cigarettes—so there is a gap there.” dwellers supported the war e? ort by growing their own A 3..5 report by California Food Policy Advocates food, freeing up farms to feed the troops. + e San Francisco (www.cfpa.net/Grocery.PDF) describes large unmet project gives participants, including low-income residents market demand for fresh produce in low-income ur- in the Bayview Hunter’s Point neighborhood, a starter kit ban areas nationwide, and prescribed market-based and lessons in gardening and seed-saving. In a city short solutions including investment by major chain grocery on open space, the e? ort focuses on using rooftops, win- stores and the conversion of corner stores currently spe- dow boxes, and yard space for growing vegetables appro- cializing in liquor into small groceries. priate to the local micro-climate. + e project is largely designed Food Justice by Amy Franceschini, an accom- RESOURCES In New York City, the group Just Food o? ers a range of plished artist who views urban programs to support fresh-food access and community agriculture as a form of exploring Growing Power (Milwaukee) economic development. + ey play matchmaker to con- “the politics of space” and the ef- www.nhi.org/go/growingpower nect regional farmers with community organizations fects of globalization. Heifer Project International to run CSAs—with a total of about B. CSAs running in “It’s reminiscent of the early www.nhi.org/go/heifer all 2 ve boroughs. + eir City Farms program has helped conversations about recycling,” start more than B.. community gardens including a garden education program man- Just Food (New York) “training trainers” program where low-income residents ager Blair Randall says of the www.nhi.org/go/justfood receive a stipend to train other locals in gardening. project. “You think what di? er- The Food Trust (Philadelphia) Additionally, a market program helps community ence does one garden make? www.nhi.org/go/foodtrust gardeners set up and run their own farmers markets, But if someone can grow a small including helping them obtain insurance, meet city amount of greens, that’s food not Victory Gardens (San Francisco) codes, and set up systems to accept food stamps. + e being transported all those miles. www.nhi.org/go/futurefarmers City Chicken Project, supported by Heifer Project It’s freedom from food made with Healthy Corner Stores Network International, helps low-income people and groups set values we don’t support.” www.nhi.org/go/healthycornerstores up humane chicken-raising operations, with initial gifts Randall notes that compared of coops and chickens that the groups later pass on to to the World War eras, when city new chapters. Just Food’s Community Food Education residents weren’t far removed Program trains people in cooking healthy meals, with a from their families’ farming roots, many urbanites today focus on cultural and family culinary traditions. A Food are completely disconnected from the land. Pantry program connects regional farmers with food “When people know more about the growing of food, pantries. And 2 nally, the group’s Food Justice Program the back story of plants, they get more interested in food works on policy including the federal farm bill and other itself,” he said. legislation to facilitate sustainable local agriculture. Block and other advocates note that the web of health “Our theme is that fresh, locally grown produce and economic problems aD icting disinvested, segregat- should be available to everyone,” said Berger. She adds ed low-income communities is too wide and complex to that there is clear demand in low-income neighbor- be solved by local community-agriculture projects alone. hoods for fresh produce, as demonstrated by the suc- “You need a lot more than that,” said Block of farm- KARI LYDERSEN cess of farmers markets the group has helped start in ers markets, CSAs, and the like. “But these things build (www.karilyder- the South Bronx, Harlem, and central Brooklyn. community connections, and bring in produce that sen.com) is a sta" “Once we bring in these farmers markets, they just wouldn’t be there otherwise. If you think of building writer at + e grow and grow,” she said. healthier communities on a broader level, they really Washington Post A West Indian immigrant in her late A.s went through are important.” ! Midwest bureau.

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